Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) are found internationally. This
systematic literature review identifies interventions conducted on these students. Although the U.S.
produces abundant studies on effective school-based academic and behavioral interventions, a
search of over 4,000 articles published over 6 years yielded only 11 international studies meeting the
selection criteria. Out of 11 qualified studies, 6 reported therapeutic treatments, 8 targeted elementary
students, 9 were conducted in self-contained classrooms, and 9 were from the U.K. These findings
indicate a paucity of quantitative research determining effectiveness of EBD interventions currently
used in schools worldwide. The results indicate that quantitative studies are not the standard of
evidence-based practice internationally, and diagnostic criteria and terms used to identify students
vary worldwide
